One night, Scambia recalled lying in bed when suddenly; he thought he heard his friend's voice. He immediately woke up and wrote down his favorite shrimp recipe, and two weeks later, he began cooking in nearby firehouses when he had time off.

Soon, he was treating crews to elaborate meals consisting of spring rolls, steak medallions, beef bourguignon, potato souffle and cheesecake. It made him dream of launching his own cookbook.

"I had the cookbook done, but I never had the funds to put it together," Scambia said.

One day, a lieutenant at Station 83 called him and asked him to come in early to make a special lunch. Little did they know, they were actually preparing to surprise the chef, with the help of Kleenex.

In video provided by Kleenex, firefighters can be seen escorting Scambia from the kitchen and into the garage. He's then presented with a book, with his image printed across the front, and his recipes inside.

All the proceeds of A Hero's Cookbook, which honors Scambia's late friend, will benefit the Firefighter Benevolent Fund in Orange County, Fla.